


+1 Dad, Or, the Time Moonshine Had More Dads Than Bev (Ignoring the Fact He Hasn't Been Born Yet)

by acaciapines



Category: Not Another D&D Podcast (Podcast)
Genre: (in that moonshine and gang are kids), Gen, Kid Fic, Pre-Canon, i am the entire lucanus fanclub and that's okay, moonshine meets her dad way early, what even is the naddpod timeline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-03-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:53:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23130499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acaciapines/pseuds/acaciapines
Summary: There's a High Elf in the Crick, and that's never happened before. But he looks lost, and Moonshine has always been rather hospitable.
Comments: 23
Kudos: 62





	+1 Dad, Or, the Time Moonshine Had More Dads Than Bev (Ignoring the Fact He Hasn't Been Born Yet)

“Hey,” Petri says, when Moonshine is in the middle of wrestling her older half-sister and Apple is cheering them on from the sidelines, yelling out tips that Moonshine honestly can’t tell if they’re for her or Brandy, but she’s sure gonna use them either way. “Hey, guys!”

“In a sec, Petri!” Brandy yells, tugging on Moonshine’s ear to throw off her balance, and then using that to bodily tackle Moonshine into the softer dirt near the banks of the Crick. For not even being a teen yet, Brandy plays _unfair._ Moonshine attempts to bite her stupid ear, and gets a mouthful of hair that she has to spit out.

“Get her in a headlock!” Apple cheers, and Moonshine’s pretty sure that one’s to Brandy, who’s halfway there already. Still, Moonshine sprawls, getting the most of her out of Brandy’s grip.

“Yeah!” Brandy answers, grabbing Moonshine around the middle. Which _isn’t_ a headlock, but it serves its purpose of making it much, much harder for Moonshine to escape.

“Y’all should maybe listen to me!” Petri calls. Moonshine considers this, only for Brandy to start moving as if to put Moonshine in a headlock, which, no, just ‘cause Brandy’s older and has been tussling with Apple since before Moonshine was born doesn’t mean she’s gonna win today. “I mean it, guys, this isn’t another snail or something, it’s way big!”

Oh, it’s Snails Petri who’s hanging out with them. That’s good to know, ‘cause he’s more prone to talk about bugs than Crawfish Petri, who only does cool stuff during crawfish boils. But Snails Petri isn’t about to help Moonshine beat Brandy, so she flattens her ears to both tune him out and keep Brandy from yanking them, and starts flailing to get free.

It works, and Moonshine takes that freedom and runs with it, bolting far enough away from Brandy that she won’t be able to grab her as quick, and then spinning sharp to face her, hackles all bristled as though she’s Maw Maw trying to scare someone. But Maw Maw’s way better at it than Moonshine is.

“Give it up,” Brandy says, but she’s laughing, a little bit, “you aren’t even bigger than me yet, Glitter.”

Moonshine scowls. Brandy _knows_ she hates that nickname, it would be like if Moonshine went around calling Brandy—calling her—

Okay, maybe it’s easier to make dumb nicknames from _Moonshine._ But that doesn’t mean she’s gonna like it. Moonshine yells and charges from Brandy, who wasn’t expecting it enough to react, and this time, it’s Moonshine who tackles Brandy to the ground. Once Brandy’s down, Moonshine tries to shift her weight enough to pin her, but she _is_ a bit smaller, so Brandy escapes easily.

“Ooh,” says Apple, “drama! Y’all should go for the legs, then—oh, shit.”

“What?” Brandy asks, stopping where she’s halfway to pinning Moonshine. “Did you finally see Petri’s snail he’s been trying to tell us about? Is it like, real big or something?”

“Naw, guys, it’s—there’s a _High Elf here.”_ The final part is said in a loud whisper, and it’s startling enough that Brandy stands in a heartbeat, and Moonshine shoves herself up and hurries after. A High Elf? In the Crick? Moonshine’s never even _seen_ a High Elf before, she didn’t think they ever came down to the Crick! Too stuck up, all of them, probably ‘cause they all know who their daddies are.

“Woah,” Brandy says, just a bit quieter than Apple, “they’re so _fancy,_ look at those robes! I want those robes, I could trap Moonshine under them!”

Moonshine elbows her, but does have to admit, the robes are kinda cool. They’re red with black lines drawing out patterns on them, and might make a pretty neat blanket. The High Elf themselves, though, looks out of place amongst the rest of her Crick folk, looking around and not really making conversation with anybody.

“See!” Petri hisses, “told y’all it was something important!”

“You did this same thing when you saw a huge snail,” Brandy says, “excuse us for not listening. What to you think they’re doing here?” The final part is directed with a flick of the ear towards the High Elf. “You think they’re gonna…uh…”

“Start a war?” Apple offers.

“No, that’s dumb. There’s no reason to start a war. Maybe they wanna take all the brown leaves. I keep losing mine.”

Moonshine very wisely doesn’t mention the stash of Brandy’s brown leaves she’s got hidden in a knot-hole near her bed. It’s payment for all the times Brandy’s tackled her for no good reason, into things like stone and wood and other people. “They just kinda look lost,” Moonshine says.

“Duh, they don’t live here.” Apple frowns.

“You don’t live here,” Moonshine points out, “and even the first time you came here, you didn’t look nothing as lost as that elf.”

“Well, I’m not a High Elf, am I?” But Apple frowns harder. “Think they’re…maybe they got kicked out from…wherever the High Elves live? I think I heard it’s some weird magic city.”

“Glade-something,” Petri says, “it’s kinda far away, though.” He bends down to pick a snail up, and place it on his hand. “Maybe…”

While he and the others keep talking, Moonshine tilts her head and studies the High Elf. They’re a bit far away, so she can’t make out many details, but they don’t _look_ like they’ve been traveling for a long time. Their hair is all flat and shiny, and they’re clean, and their clothes aren’t torn or nothing. Magic?

“I’m gonna go ask,” Moonshine decides, interrupting Brandy.

“Moonshine,” Brandy hisses, “you can’t do that. MeeMaw wouldn’t like it if I was watching you and then you died.”

Moonshine turns to face her half-sister, her ears flattened in utter confusion. “They’re not gonna _kill me.”_ She says. “And you ain’t watching me, either, I can watch myself. I’m not a baby.”

“ _Still,”_ Brandy stresses. “Look, they’re not even talking to anybody! If they want help they can ask for it.”

Moonshine ignores her, and starts heading over to the High Elf.

“Moonshine! Moonshine, get back here I’ll—I’ll call you Glitter for the rest of your life? Do you want that?”

Moonshine doesn’t want that, actually, but curiosity wins out, in the end, and she makes it to the High Elf, waving up at them. “Hi!” she calls.

The High Elf jumps. “Oh,” they say, “oh, I didn’t see you, um—child?” they sound a bit confused. “Why are you covered in mud?”

“Wrestling Brandy.” Moonshine twitches an ear in the general direction of Brandy and her friends. “She cheats, a lot. Who’re you? I’m Moonshine.” She offers a hand, smiling.

The High Elf shakes her hand, mostly just looking very confused. “Lucanus Aer’Tea,” he says, and Moonshine crinkles her nose. _That’s_ certainly a name, a weird fancy one. Do all High Elves have names that sound like clearing your throat? He also says his name like she’s supposed to maybe know who he is, which, how would she if this is her first time ever meeting him?”

“Luke,” Moonshine decides.

“No, it’s—”

“It’s Luke,” Moonshine tells him, with a nod. “Why’re you here, anyways? Are you looking for someone? I could probably get them for you, I know everyone here.”

Behind Lucanus, closer to the crick, Moonshine sees Brandy, aggressively gesturing for her to come back. Moonshine ignores her. “Or are you just wandering?” Moonshine continues.

“Yes, I’m looking for someone.” He clears his throat, straightening. “Jolene Cybin?”

Moonshine’s ears perk up. “Oh! MeeMaw! Yeah, I know where she is, she’s doing something big and important with all the Old Folks, c’mon.” She grabs Lucanus’s hand to lead him to the center of town, where the Grandmaw Tree and MeeMaw are. But first, she diverts to go grab her friends—Brandy and Apple would be mad if Moonshine just ditched them, and Petri could probably amuse himself with snails, but he did point out the High Elf to them so he deserves to come along.

“Guys!” Moonshine calls, waving to Brandy. “Guys, this is Luke—”

“It’s actually—” Lucanus starts, but Moonshine keeps going, and he just sighs.

“—and he wants to go see MeeMaw ‘cause for-some-reason-he-didn’t-say. I’m gonna take him there, wanna come?”

Brandy narrows her eyes at Lucanus. “You aren’t gonna kill us?” she asks.

“I—what? No! You’re all—why would I kill children? I don’t want to—I’m not here to do harm to the Crick, or anything like that, I just wanted to talk to Jolene. We were…”

“Friends?” Moonshine guesses.

“Something like that.” Lucanus offers an awkward smile to Brandy.

“MeeMaw’s never mentioned you,” Brandy says, but most of the aggressive bite is gone from her tone.

“We didn’t exactly part on the best terms,” Lucanus says. There’s a story there, Moonshine is pretty sure, but she does want to actually help and not just pester him for hours to hear his whole life story: she can just go to MeeMaw for that.

“That’s good enough for me!” Apple says, holding out her hand. “Apple Scrumper, at your service!”

“Lucanus Aer’Tea,” he says, shaking her hand.

“Air tea? That’s a fun last name,” Apple says, and when Lucanus tries to say something, she continues, “I know an Earthy-moss. They’re okay, I guess.”

“That’s Brandy,” Moonshine says, when Brandy doesn’t introduce herself. In a whisper, she adds, “that’s the sister I was telling you about.”

“Yes, I gathered,” Lucanus answers, and Moonshine is delighted that he knows how to _actually_ whisper, which, he’s an elf so it makes sense, but the number of folk who come through the Crick and whisper loud enough that any elf in range can pick it up is, well, a lot.

“And I’m Petri!” says Petri. “Do you know anything about snails?”

“He’s Snails Petri,” Apple adds, as explanation.

“Snails…Petri?”

“Yeah, ‘cause he likes snails,” Moonshine says, tugging at Lucanus’s hand so he’ll follow her as, with everyone, they start to head for the Grandmaw Tree. “There’s also Crawfish Petri, Fire Petri, Fire Petri Two, Bullywug Petri, Taller Bullywug Petri, Old Petri…”

“Baby Petri,” Brandy adds, “Stumpeater Petri. Oh, and then there’s Westside Petri, and Ears Petri.”

“And then Petri Petri!” Apple finishes.

“Petri Petri?” asks Lucanus, sounding mostly amused.

“Yeah, he’s the Petri where, you look at him, and you’re like yeah, that’s the ideal Petri-look.” Moonshine slows at they finally make it to the Grandmaw tree, and drops Lucanus’s hand. “Okay, you wait here, I’ll go yell for MeeMaw and let her know you wanna see her.”

“I—okay. Thank you, Moonshine!” Lucanus calls after her as she charges into the Grandmaw tree, and Moonshine’s ears prick happily with the praise. Lucanus seems pretty okay.

She slows once she enters the tree. MeeMaw’s not in the main chamber, so she might be upstairs, which means taking the winding stairs that wrap up and around the trunk, or just somewhere a bit further bac. Moonshine wiggles her ears to see if she can hear anybody, and it works—there’s someone talking upstairs, so she heads that way, and follows the noise until she finds MeeMaw and the Old Folks Circle all in a little room upstairs, deep in conversation.

“MeeMaw!” Moonshine yells, barging in and charging for her mother.

“Moonshine!” MeeMaw calls right back, scooping Moonshine up into a hug and pressing a kiss into her hair. “Hi, baby. I thought you and Brandy were out wrassling with Apple?”

“I was, but then a High Elf came and he wants to see you.” Moonshine settles against her mother’s side. “I said I’d find you and tell you since he looked really, really lost.” Moonshine giggles, a bit—she’s still wondering why Lucanus didn’t just ask someone for help in the first place.

“A High Elf?” MeeMaw asks. Moonshine notices a few of the Old Folks giving each other odd looks.

“He said his name was Lucanus.” Moonshine tilts her head.

“Oh,” MeeMaw says, but it’s—it’s a worried _oh._ An _oh_ like when MeeMaw asked Moonshine what happened to Brandy’s brown leaves, and then Moonshine told her and asked her not to tell Brandy. And MeeMaw sighed _oh_ and decided to let her daughters ‘figure this one out yourselves.’

“He said you were friends,” Moonshine says, “and he didn’t seem mean or nothing. We told him about all the Petris.”

She really hopes Lucanus isn’t actually evil. That would be really bad.

“He’s—he’s not wrong about the friends part. Just—I’m really busy here, baby, can you tell him to wait like, maybe 30 minutes, and then we can talk?”

Moonshine nods as MeeMaw sets her back down. “Okay, I can do that.”

“Good.” MeeMaw sighs. “I love you, Moonshine.”

“Love you too!” Moonshine answers, as she leaves the room, more confused than when she first went in. _We didn’t part on the best terms,_ indeed.

If MeeMaw and the Old Folks say anything about Lucanus, it’s not loud enough for Moonshine to hear, so she leaves the tree to find everyone’s migrated to some nearby sitting stumps, and that Lucanus seems to be telling them all something. Moonshine hurries over, and shoves Brandy so they can share a stump.

“MeeMaw said like 30 minutes,” Moonshine says, when Lucanus goes quiet as she comes back. “What’re you all talking about?”

“Lucanus was in the big war against the devil!” Apple says, practically bouncing on her stump, “that’s how he knew your mom! He’s the one who got all the High Elves to fight in the war!”

“Wow,” Moonshine says, because she knows a bit about the war that happened before she was born, and she knows that if the High Elves hadn’t joined, Bahumia might’ve not won. “So you’re like, really important, huh?”

“I wouldn’t…say that, exactly. Among the High Elves that wasn’t one of my, um, more popular decisions. If another big war happened again tomorrow, I probably wouldn’t be able to convince the king again.” He clears his throat. “Why don’t we talk about something else, if you’re all going to hang out with me while we wait? Like, why you’re all covered in mud?”

“I told you,” Moonshine says, “wrestling with Brandy. What, do High Elf young’uns not wrestle?”

“I wouldn’t know,” Lucanus says. “I’m head of Gladeholm University, so I usually only see adults and young adults, I don’t really interact with kids your age. There aren’t…High Elves don’t have as many young elves running around, not like the Crick.”

“Do you have kids?” Brandy asks.

“No,” Lucanus says. “Most High Elves don’t.”

“Hmm. Sounds boring.” Brandy stretches, bumping against Moonshine. “What do you do, then, if you don’t have to chase around young’uns all day? Is University,” she pronounces it a bit differently from Lucanus, it being one of those fancier words, “fun?”

“I enjoy being headmaster,” Lucanus says.

Conversation continues like this for a bit, and they learn that Lucanus is a very powerful wizard—he summons a glowing blue wriggling worm to show off, even if he calls it something weirdly fancy, and they all have a great time trying to figure out how all four of them can ride it without just sliding right off. But there’s still something eating at Moonshine, gnawing away steadily like a caterpillar eats leaves, and it’s how MeeMaw acted, all weird and suspicious.

She wants to know what’s up with the two of them. ‘Cause yes, she could ask MeeMaw, but what if she doesn’t tell her? Maybe Lucanus would, and Moonshine should at least try.

So she waits for a break in talking, and asks, “what happened between you and MeeMaw? Why’d you part on bad terms and why are you here to see her now? She didn’t look excited when I asked. She was all weird.”

Lucanus is quiet for a few moments, before saying, “it’s complicated.”

“Complicated _how?”_ Moonshine stresses. “She’s my MeeMaw, I wanna know about what her life was like before I was born!”

“Yeah! Me too!” Brandy adds, and Moonshine bumps against her in thanks. Brandy wraps an arm around her to better steady her. “Did you fight or something? Was it ‘cause you’re a High Elf?”

“It was—fine. We were friends, more than that, we dated for a while, the whole drill. Then one day she vanished and I never saw her again, and I assumed she just up and left me, I was mad for a while but moved on. And then about a week ago, my friend Erdan, he comes over, and he tells me that he wants to tell me something. He says that he knows why Jolene left: that she asked him what she should do about the High Elves not approving of us, and he told her to leave.”

“Shit,” Apple says. Moonshine echoes the sentiment. That’s…bad.

“That’s what I said.” Lucanus sighs. “I figured she was mad at me, that’s why she hadn’t ever contacted me since. I got drunk with Erdan and made the stupid decision to come here, and I don’t know, I guess just let her know I didn’t know or tell Erdan to do what he did? I’ve been regretting that decision ever since, but I’m here now, so.” He shrugs. 

“No,” Moonshine says, “no, I think it’s the right thing to do! It’s not good to leave people mad at you.” She side-eyes Brandy. “Maybe you can be friends again?”

Lucanus huffs. “I highly doubt that,” he says. “I just—”

He’s cut off by MeeMaw striding out of the Grandmaw tree, and turns to face her. She doesn’t look happy to see him, not at all. Moonshine frowns. She guessed MeeMaw wasn’t the happiest, but…

“Think they’re gonna fight or something?” Brandy hisses to her, as Lucanus stands. Moonshine shrugs, but her ears twitch, uncomfortable.

“Jolene,” Lucanus says, “I—”

“Inside.” MeeMaw cuts him off and jabs a finger towards a nearby empty stump. “The nerve of you, comin’ back—” she stops and turns to Moonshine and the rest of them. “You four, go run off and wrestle or something, this is—I need to talk with Lucanus and I don’t want you waiting around.”

It’s _sharp._ Meemaw’s only sharp when things are serious, and this really doesn’t warrant that, Moonshine thinks. She’s certainly not leaving without at least attempting to eavesdrop, but that can’t happen without pretending to go, so she sighs and grumbles and makes all the right noises of complaint as she drags herself away.

MeeMaw and Lucanus go into the stump, and almost immediately start yelling at each other. Moonshine’s too far away to pick out words, but yelling—that’s easy enough. Nearly every Crick folk in the area look towards the stump, and then begin either whispering to each other, or attempting to eavesdrop.

“Woah,” Apple says, “ _that’s_ some fight. How close can we get without them catching on?”

“MeeMaw’s gonna be smart about it,” Brandy warns. “She knows we’re gonna wanna overhear.” But still, she takes lead as they pick their way around the stump, heading to the back before trying to get close, sticking to thick bushes and behind smaller stumps.

The closer they get, the more they’re able to overhear, and they don’t ever have to get that close before they’re able to make out words.

“…thought this was what you wanted!” Meemaw’s yelling, “you never _once_ stood up for me to your parents, and now you wanna just waltz right back into my life like I owe you anything?”

“That’s _not_ why I’m here!” Lucanus yells right back. “I haven’t shown up before now because I thought you just got tired of me and ran off!”

“Oh, don’t tell me you didn’t tell your friend to tell me to leave because you were too much of a coward to risk your position as headmaster,” MeeMaw snaps, “I was _there,_ Lucanus, I knew what was up with you and your status.”

“And I’m trying to tell you, I didn’t tell Erdan to tell you anything! I didn’t know he told you to leave! I would’ve—I don’t know, I never would’ve told you to just run off!”

“Oh, really?” MeeMaw practically snarls. “If that was true, and you really did care, you would’ve helped out, sent child support or whatever it is you High Elves do when you want to feel better about yourselves. What is this, you got drunk and felt _bad_ and wanted to make yourself feel less guilty?”

“I have no idea what you’re—wait, did you say _child support?”_

The two of them go very, very quiet.

“Holy shit,” Brandy hisses, “holy _shit,_ someone’s daddy is a High Elf.”

Moonshine meets Brandy’s eyes. “Cory,” they say, simultaneously: their older half-brother who’s spent his whole life walking around like he knows who his daddy is.

“Wasn’t Cory born before the war?” Petri asks, but they all hush him when MeeMaw starts talking again.

“You didn’t know?” MeeMaw asks. She sounds a little bit like she found a nice new stump, only to enter it and realize it was falling apart on the inside.

“No,” says Lucanus, “no, and Erdan didn’t or he would’ve told me—you mean I’ve had a child this whole time? Jolene, if I had known—I would’ve wanted to be involved! I mean—a child? Do you know what an honor that is, for a High Elf? Can I meet them? Do you need, I don’t know, a babysitter? I can do that. Can I take them to Gladeholm for a weekend?” Lucanus sounds excited about having a kid in a way Moonshine’s not sure she’s ever heard before. It’s…weird. Do High Elves really not have any young’uns running around?

“This is so fucked,” MeeMaw mutters with a sigh. “Let’s…let’s not talk about this here, I don’t even want to know how many Crick folk have been eavesdropping on us. Can you still teleport?”

“I haven’t somehow become a _worst_ wizard over the years.”

“You never know,” MeeMaw says, dryly. “I have a place we could go.”

“Quick, hide better,” Brandy hisses, as the two of them exit the stump. But they don’t make it that far before they’re caught—Moonshine catches MeeMaw’s eye halfway to another bush to hide in, and Petri trips over Apple and knocks the both of them out of hiding, so they all sigh and give up the goose.

Their failure does, Moonshine notices, give time for other Cricks to get away, so. At least they helped someone.

“Young’uns,” MeeMaw greets.

“Is someone’s daddy really a High Elf?” Brandy asks, running up to MeeMaw. “For real really? I mean, I guess he did say he dated you but—”

“You’re not even gonna try to hide the fact that you were eavesdropping?” MeeMaw asks, raising an ear.

“You already caught us, what’s the point? So? Who is it?” Brandy bounces on her feet. “Is it Cory? Me and Moonshine think it’s Cory.”

“I also think it’s Cory,” Apple adds, even though Moonshine knows Apple’s probably talked to Cory about three times in her entire life. But he does leave a taste in your mouth, so she’s probably still right.

Moonshine finally makes it to MeeMaw, having been going way slower than the others. She peers around MeeMaw to look at Lucanus, who’s standing and not meeting anybody’s eyes, like he’d rather be anywhere but here. Moonshine waves, because even if MeeMaw is yelling at him, Moonshine doesn’t exactly want to do that.

“It’s…” MeeMaw shakes her head. “It’s complicated, babies. I need to go talk to Lucanus first, and then we’ll figure something out.”

“Okay, but it’s not me, right? ‘Cause you would’ve told me if I was half High Elf, right? I would’ve known?” Brandy charges after MeeMaw even as she goes to leave. “Right? Right?” She stops before getting close to Lucanus, her ears drooping. “MeeMaw?”

“We’ll talk about it later. Just—don’t go spreading this around, y’all hear? I don’t want the Crick getting up in more of a fuss than it already is.”

“Fine,” Brandy says. pouting. Moonshine heads over to her side, both to offer her sister comfort and watch whatever wizard magic Lucanus is gonna do, because it is kinda fun to look at. Lucanus offers his hand to MeeMaw, she takes it with a snort, and then, just like that, they’re whisked away.

“Woah,” Moonshine says, blinking.

“Kinda thought there’d be sparkly magic left over,” Apple comments, joining them.

“It’s gotta be Cory,” Brandy mutters. “It’s gotta be.” She grabs Moonshine and Apple’s hands, starts dragging them over to a more quiet place to talk. They end up sitting behind the Grandmaw tree, all leaned up against the wood, which, while not exactly empty or quiet, is louder now that there’s no meetings going on, so there’s a decent chance their voices will all be lost in the chatter.

“I’m telling you,” Petri says as they settle down, “it can’t be! If they were a thing during the war, then it would have to be someone born either near the end of the war or after it!” He frowns. “So that means…”

Moonshine almost wants to cower backwards when everyone turns to stare at her. And—and the realization settles around her like Brandy tugging her into the Crick, all sodden and heavy. _She_ was born after the war. None of her older siblings were. And all of her younger siblings are way younger. But—but that would mean—

“No, that’s crazy,” Brandy says, scooting closer to Moonshine and tugging her against her side. “It’s not Moonshine. I mean, she’s annoying sometimes and I’m pretty sure she’s stealing my brown leaves but she’s—she’s _Moonshine!_ She’s a Crick Elf! She’s _so much_ a Crick Elf, and she’s not walking around like she knows who her daddy is, and it’s—it’s Cory. It’s not Moonshine. MeeMaw would’ve told us.”

“Us?” Petri asks.

“Us, Moonshine, who cares! She’s the closest in-age sibling I have, there’s an us there!” Brandy taps Moonshine’s ear, who obligingly looks to her. “You aren’t any High Elf.”

“I mean…” Moonshine trails off. What if she is? What does that…what does that even mean, for her? If she’s got the blood of a High Elf? ‘Cause it doesn’t matter on the one hand, but on the other hand that means she’s part _High Elf_ and the thought makes her crawl. What if she gets older and starts thinking less of her folk? “If I really—”

“Don’t fucking worry,” Brandy says. “I’ll wrestle you if you look like you’re leaning too far that way. I _will._ You’re my sister and a Crick just like all of us.”

“We don’t even know for sure,” Apple adds, “it could be anybody.” She glares at Petri, who just shrugs.

“It looks like—”

“Petri?” Apple says. “Shut up.”

And just like that, the game they were playing earlier resumes, if a heavier version of it. It’s a bit hard to have fun tackling your friends when you’re wondering about what it means to be half High Elf. When you can’t help the gnawing at your brain that it might be true, that MeeMaw’s been gone a really long time.

The thing is that Moonshine’s never even cared who her daddy was, ‘cause it doesn’t even matter any, and now she can’t stop thinking about it, and that’s a stupid thing. She scowls and tries to throw that energy into wrestling with Brandy.

She’s not really sure how long they play for. Into dinnertime, she knows, ‘cause someone starts a-hollering and then it’s a mad dash to race Apple and Brandy to get the best food. Moonshine sits with them near a fire, and watches Crawfish Petri attempt to do flameswallowing, only to get them down the wrong pipe and start hacking up little bits of ember, and tries to ignore the fact that MeeMaw’s still not back yet.

It’s probably Cory. Brandy’s right.

Moonshine gets her answer later that night, when she’s woken up in the middle of the night by cold possum nose. Moonshine yelps and blinks awake, staring up into the pointy face of Maw Maw.

“Hello, my child,” Maw Maw says. She’s currently crushing Moonshine’s legs. “MeeMaw wants to talk to you.”

“Oh,” Moonshine says, pushing herself up as Maw Maw scrambles to the side. And then, when she remembers just what went on today, a more empathetic, “oh.”

“Indeed,” Maw Maw agrees, nosing at her hand. “She’s outside.”

“Right,” Moonshine says, and sighs, going out to find MeeMaw. It barely takes her any time at all, and judging by the look on her face, Moonshine’s already pretty sure she knows where this is going to go.

“Lucanus is my daddy, isn’t he?” Moonshine asks, letting MeeMaw scoop her up to settle her against her knee.

“Perceptive, aren’t you?” MeeMaw asks, softly. “And, yes. He is. It’s…a long and complicated story. He’s not a bad man, it’s just…we got on each others goats a lot when we were younger, and that hasn’t gotten any better with time. I always just assumed he wanted nothing more to do with us.”

“But that wasn’t true,” Moonshine says.

“No.” MeeMaw sighs. “Look, I hope…I never told you about your daddy because you never seemed like you cared to know. And you might be half High Elf, but Moonshine, know that that doesn’t make you any less of a Crick Elf, okay? You’re my daughter, and this will always be your home.”

“I know,” Moonshine says, sniffling a little, “I know, I know I’m a Crick Elf and all, ‘s just…weird, is all. Is,” Moonshine thinks to everything she’s ever heard about High Elves, most of which is about how stuck-up they are, how little they care for the Crick, “is he dirty?”

MeeMaw laughs, a real one, and Moonshine grins. “Did he show you that weird magical flying worm thing of his?” And, at Moonshine’s nod, “that’s about as dirty as High Elves get. It’s weird, I’ll give you that. Very, very weird.” She gets another laugh, but then falls quiet, again. “Moonshine, there’s—Lucanus is still here. He’s—well, he’s glamping. Have you heard of that spell, Magnificent Mansion, where—”

“It’s like a little tent but a really cool mansion on the inside!?” Moonshine wiggles, just a bit, since it’s the best she can do when her mother is holding her. “Brandy was telling me about that spell once! It’s really, really, cool, and he can do it?”

“Oh, yeah. Like it’s nothing, it’s the one thing I’ve always been jealous of.” MeeMaw sets her down, and Moonshine just bounces for a bit to get out all that fizzing, buzzy energy. “He’s off doing that. High Elves…they don’t have kids like we Cricks do. I don’t fully get it, but they’re got a whole young population crisis thing going on, you happening at all is honestly a bit of a miracle with how low those birth rates are. Thing is, that means kids are a real big honor to a High Elf. And Lucanus, well, he wants to be a part of your life.”

Moonshine freezes. “Oh.”

“Not in a—Melora, he’s not about to move into the Crick, that would be awful for the both of us. No, I talked him out of that. He just…wants to get to know you? This is a thing you’d have to ask him. I guess do that thing where you go to a friend’s stump and just stay there for a week? Except it’d be you going to him with Gladeholm. Now, Moonshine,” and at this, MeeMaw goes a bit more serious, “I can’t make this decision for you, and Lucanus certainly can’t, either. Do you want to get to know your daddy a bit more? If so, we’ll work something out. If not, well, this can be the last you hear of him, either forever, or if you change your mind at one point we can contact him then.”

Moonshine…thinks. Does she want to know her daddy? She doesn’t want to leave the Crick _forever,_ that much she knows, but from the hour or so she spent talking to Lucanus…well, he seemed okay. Not boring, a bit weird, but Moonshine can deal with weird. If Lucanus is considered dirty for the High Elves, well, she’s not really looking forward to spending time with a lot of them, but maybe just one would be okay. At least for a little bit. He sounded so _excited_ when he learned he had a kid.

“I…think I want to,” Moonshine decides. “At least say hey when he knows I’m his daughter.” And isn’t that an odd thing to think? Moonshine shakes herself free of the feeling, not sure if she likes it or not.

“I’ll let him know in the morning,” MeeMaw says. Moonshine could go back to her room, but she’s not really tired, now, so she stays outside with MeeMaw, the two of them sitting and listening to the gentle noises of the Crick: the water, the crickets and nannerflies, the soft conversation of elves that have already tranced and are out enjoying the late night and/or early morning.

Moonshine sits in her mother’s lap, and lets herself stop thinking, just for a little while.

* * *

The stump MeeMaw told her Lucanus is waiting in is entirely unremarkable, no different from the many other stumps that make up homes, and yet Moonshine can’t help but stare at it and try to pick it apart. There’s—inside that stump is a father she never really considering ever having, and he’s a _High Elf._ It’s…

Yesterday she was wrestling and having a great time, and now she’s gotta do all this thinking, and it’s not really all it’s cracked up to be. Because she wants this! Moonshine knows there’s a part of her that’s curious, that, since the option is available, wants to know what it’s like to have a daddy. But there’s another scared part that doesn’t know what to expect, because whatever it is, it’s not gonna be her home.

She could just turn around and leave. She knows MeeMaw won’t fault her for it, and Brandy and Apple are probably out in the crick again, and she could always join them. They don’t even know yet. She could leave and it’ll be like nothing’s even changed.

Moonshine sighs. She can’t do that.

She enters the stump, unsure as to what to expect, and finds…

Well, Lucanus, obviously. He’s pacing? Kinda? Not big movements, but he is pacing and muttering to himself, and when he turns his robe kinda billows out behind him, and Moonshine itches to pounce at it, but before she can make up her mind on if she’s gonna do it or not, Lucanus notices her.

“Oh,” he says, and then, with feeling, “ _Oh._ You’re here. You—I didn’t—Jolene said she was going to leave it up to you, and I wasn’t sure…” He trails off, and goes to sit at the table. Moonshine, not really having anything better to do, follows, and clambers onto the chair across from him.

“I was curious,” Moonshine says. “So. You’re my daddy.”

“I—yes.” Lucanus is looking at her with such a look of obvious wonder that Moonshine _really_ isn’t sure what she’s supposed to say to that. “I have a _daughter.”_ His eyes are shiny around the edges, to, and it hits Moonshine that he’s crying, or at least tearing up, which—again. She doesn’t know what to do with it. The only time anyone’s ever cried ‘cause of her was when she accidentally bit Brandy’s ear too hard and it started bleeding, but this isn’t exactly something she can fix by trying to cover it with slightly wet leaves.

“MeeMaw said High Elves do kids differently,” is what Moonshine ends up saying, ‘cause, well, she knows MeeMaw loves her but this is a different thing entirely.

“Sorry, sorry, it’s just,” Lucanus wipes at his eyes, laughing a little. “Your mother, she’s told me a bit. I know Cricks don’t typically do fatherhood. I never…I never thought I’d have a child? And now you’re _here_ and I never thought I’d be in a situation where I was looking at my own child? It’s just, you’re _perfect_.”

Moonshine blinks, though the tips of her ears go warm at the praise.

“And, I know we don’t know each other that well or anything, but I really _want_ to get to know you.”

“I wanna know you too,” Moonshine says, tilting her head just a bit. “It’s…this is kinda a lot. I dunno really what to say? It’s…new.”

“New, yes.” Lucanus nods, clearing his throat. “My dear—can I? Call you that? My dear?”

It’s certainly better than Glitter. “Sure.”

“Okay, then, my dear, can I—can I give you a hug?”

It’s a bit awkward, but Moonshine’s not about to say _no,_ and she has to admit, it might? Be nice? She likes getting and giving hugs and if she’s gonna know her daddy, that’s a pretty good place to start. She slides out of her seat to close the distance between them, hugs Lucanus as he does the same to her, and it’s…

…good. It’s really _really_ good, actually, and Lucanus is stiff for a moment before that fades and she’s just, it’s not like getting hugged by her mother ‘cause there’s a familiarity there but this is—is—

Moonshine takes in a shuddering breath. “I’m gonna,” she flicks an ear at Lucanus, nearly whacks him in the face, and he brushes it out of the way with a small laugh. “I, this is, I just—this is really good.”

“It _is,”_ Lucanus says, full on sobbing, “I can’t believe I’m hugging my _daughter._ Moonshine, you’re my daughter.” The last part is said in near-disbelief, like even her being here and solid isn’t fully enough. Moonshine giggles and squirms out of his grip, looking up to him when he stands.

“I am,” she says. “Uh.” And with that happening, she again doesn’t know what to say, so she defaults to what she’d do with MeeMaw. That’s a good path to follow, she thinks. “I like your robe. When I came in I kinda wanted to pounce on it.”

“You did? Why?”

Moonshine shrugs. “Flowy.”

“Can’t argue with that,” Lucanus says. He thinks, for a second. “would you…like it? To try on? It's certainly too big for you, but—”

“Yes yes _yes,”_ Moonshine cuts in, tugging at the sleeve of the robe like that’s going to help her. “It's really cool! What's it for?” She grabs for the bundle of robe the second Lucanus starts to hand them to her, and drapes it around herself. They pool up around her feet, and Moonshine fiddles with the too-long sleeve when Lucanus says something about them being on lopsided, and fusses with them.

“Just…normal robes? They’re the colors of Gladeholm University.” He finally finishes his fussing, and goes all teary again when he looks at her. And something else? Maybe a bit of pride? Moonshine can’t be sure, he’s not twitching his ears as much as a Crick Elf would, but that might just be a High Elf thing she’s gonna have to get used to.

“I’m gonna beat Brandy _so easy_ with these,” Moonshine declares. She grabs Lucanus’s hand, to tug him towards the door. “Wanna watch? Sometimes we try to get MeeMaw to bet on who’s gonna win, but she doesn't always 'cause it's unfair, or whatever. But if you bet you have to bet on me!”

Oh, Brandy’s gonna be so _upset_ when she realizes Moonshine now got a daddy to bet on her. Brandy’s never seeing a single one of her brown leaves _ever again._

“Wait,” Lucanus says, “wait, you were wrestling in the mud, weren’t you, don’t—”

“Too late!” Moonshine yells, exiting the stump and dropping his hand to bolt for where she thinks Brandy and Apple might be. It’s a bit hard, and she nearly trips over the trail of the robe a few times, but she makes it, and comes to a stop just before she crashes into her sister.

“Moonshine?” Brandy says, stopping whatever she was doing with Apple—building something?—and looking to her. “I was wondering where you—wait.” She blinks. “You’re—”

“Guess who’s got a daddy who’s gonna be placing bets on only her when we wrestle?” Moonshine crows, yanking the robe off to start trying to trap Brandy under it.

“Wait! Moonshine, that’s expensive, please don’t…” Lucanus trails off as he finally catches up, just in time to see Moonshine, for once, beat Brandy, trapping her under the robe and sitting on Brandy so she can’t get out. Brandy flails, and Apple applauds.

“Young’uns,” MeeMaw greets, approaching, and Moonshine waves to her. She turns to Lucanus, and asks, “I take it things went well?”

Moonshine doesn’t need to listen—she’s a bit too focused on keeping Brandy trapped. But even as she doesn’t pay much attention to the words, she can hear the tone of them, and Lucanus sounds exasperated but still, there’s that same glee as when he first saw her walk in.

Moonshine smiles to herself. Yeah, she can work with this.

“I am going to _kill you!”_ Brandy shrieks, throwing Moonshine off of her. Moonshine just laughs as she lands, and readies herself to start their wrestling anew.

After all, she’s got a _wizard_ for a daddy. She can figure out some new ways to cheat.

**Author's Note:**

> i love lucanus so much...is it bc i love father-daughter relationships? yes absolutely. the first thing he did when he learned moonshine was his daughter was ask to hug her like HELLO? this idea has been in my head for so long...i just really enjoy lucanus ok. he's doing a great job at being a dad. 
> 
> i tried to get stuff about the crick right but haven't listened to the crick saga in forever so i'm going off memory. sorry if anything's wrong
> 
> if anyone wants to know, yes while writing this i got way too attached to brandy. for ages, moonshine is like, idk mentally ten, brandy and apple a few mental years older than her. is apple older than moonshine? idk but i feel like she is. 
> 
> also! hello murph i want to know what the fuck the timeline is for naddpod. how long ago did the legendary heroes do their thing? how old is moonshine? bc if elves become adults at 100, that puts the war at least 100 years ago, since that's when jolene and lucanus met and presumably conceived moonshine, right? but thiala's a human, so it can't be that long ago, and like, even if magic let her live longer, i dont think she waited 100 years to go become a god! so what's up with the timeline? do elves age more like humans here? do they become adults sooner? like it doesn't actually matter that much and usually i dont mind the timelime being weirder but for this fic it really got me thinking.


End file.
